Catch a Fire, the album regarded as responsible for catapulting Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer to global stardom, has clawed its way back onto Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart 50 years after its release.
Along with Exodus and Rastaman Vibration, Catch a Fire made its resurgence into the Top 10 of the chart, nestling at No. 6, with the other two albums re-entering at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.
A subject of contention for many years, the critically acclaimed Catch A Fire was released in April 1973 and distributed worldwide, a year after Bob Marley and his compatriots Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, (then The Wailers) signed a contract with Island Records.
The album, which is regarded as the catalyst which also helped to put Reggae on the world map, was recorded mainly at Dynamic Sounds, Harry J and Randy’s studios in Kingston.
According to the official Bob Marley website, the album was “originally recorded by the Wailers in Jamaica and eventually released with overdubs and a mix overseen by island founder Chris Blackwell at the label’s London headquarters.”
The website also says that “although Bob Marley may have been the main voice” on the album, “every member of the Wailers made valuable contributions and they were never more united in their vision and sound.”
